April 13th
by McRaider
Summary: Once every year he leaves, but today he asked me to come with him. A DanielJack friendship story. Complete


April 13th  
By Stephanie  
Summary: He takes a day off once every year, the same day, he's been doing it for years, and recently he's been going somewhere else once a year on the same day. Only two people ever knew about it, General Hammond and me...This is the story of the day he finally asked me to go with him.  
Warnings:None, just some simple Jack and Daniel friendship fluff. Nothing more.  
Rated:G

The past fours years had been some of the roughest years we had ever had...between switching bodies, nearly dying in Antarctica, the clone of his son, my first near death experience, my second near death experience, his first near death experience...and his second near death experience... Well to say the least it's been a very long four years. Jack's been having a rough time, he would never tell anyone that, I know him better, but you can see it, hear it in his voice, see it when he walks past down the hall. I can't even begin to describe the terror that filled me when I heard about Jack and Teal'c being stuck in the death glider and nearly dying. All I wanted to do was scream in anger. I had warned them, Sam had warned them. One thing I've noticed about Jack was that if he's suffering he won't tell anyone.

Once a year, every year on April 13th, Jack takes the day off, and disappears, doesn't matter what, he always goes. Only two people know about it, General Hammond and me. General Hammond knows because; well he's Jack superior officer and has a right to know about where his second in command disappears once a year. I know because…well once in our first year together, Samantha Carter made the comment that Jack doesn't share much information, I replied that he doesn't until he knows you well. I guess I should feel honored that of all the people Jack knows and trusts, he believes I am the one who has the right to know.

I knew today would be no different, he would come down to my office, where I would, as always, be huddled over some writing or artifact enthralled in whatever it was or wasn't telling me. Jack would state he was leaving…and then he would go.

"Oh Danny," came the voice. I looked up to see him leaning over me, his eye brows raised in question.

"Yes Jack?" I replied rolling my eyes as he grabbed yet another one of my ancient artifacts. I winced when I heard it hit the table and the obvious 'oops' from Jack, "did you want something?"

"Me…no, listen Daniel, I'm leaving, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?"

"Wait, you're talking about vis…"

"Yeah," Jack interrupted him.

"You've never asked me before, why today?"

"Just because… listen you wanna come or not?" Jack asked suddenly getting a little touchy.

"Well…ah, I…yeah, I guess." I had hundreds of things to do today, but suddenly just looking into those doe colored brown eyes I understood. I just understood. No matter how much I had to do, or how often Jack drove me up a wall or how often I drove him up a wall, it didn't matter. Jack was the best friend I had, the best friend I had had since I was just a little boy.

"Great, ready?" I raised an eyebrow at him and nodded.

"Ah…do I need anything?"

"Nope, just yourself," he stated grinning.

I nodded and stood up, taking one last look at what I had been working on, I grabbed my coffee mug and headed out of my office, "wait what about Hammond?" I asked, pausing to look at my friend.

"Its all clear, don't worry, ready to go?"

"Yeah," I stated again. We made our way to the elevator. It only took five minutes to get to his car and ready to go. He was relatively quiet, that didn't surprise me, he was a very private man, and normally he didn't bring friends along. He was quiet for most of the drive, I was vaguely aware of where he was probably going, I mean after four years it was sorta easy to guess before he chose to tell me.

I watched the beautiful scenery of Colorado; I smiled as he turned a final corner and slowly pulled onto a small road. It was a simple cemetery; I had been here once or twice for a few of Jack's friends. He stopped the car and paused, getting out he looked at me. I nodded and joined him just outside the truck.

I walked to his side and wait for him to lead me, it was a considerably large area, but had simple grave stones for loved people. We walked for a few moments, not far from the truck, the first stone was came to was very simple, a name, the dates and a message.

Colonel Frank Cromwell

Beloved Husband, Father and Friend

I shook my head at the thought, an empty casket, they didn't have anything to give to Alice Cromwell, I remembered meeting her, she was a lovely older lady, maybe just a year or two older than Jack. Her eldest son was nineteen, or had been two years ago. He had just joined the military. Jack had told the boy, Peter, I believe, that his father would have been proud.

Jack knelt down in front of the casket and smiled softly, "I was about thirty, maybe thirty-two at the time, I don't remember so much happened. We were in Iraq, second time in five years I had a serious problem in that damn country. It wasn't Frank's fault, but as I lay in the sand, waiting for the helicopter to come back and get me, I felt so much anger well up."

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

"I don't even remember, the mission went sour, it was supposed to be quick, some one told them we were coming. I got shot and went down. Frank was sure I was dead. Hell even I thought I was dead. I was alive, way too alive. I spent four months in a stupid Iraqi prison waiting for someone, anyone to come and get me."

"And Frank?" I knew he didn't want pity, and I wasn't going to give him any, that wasn't why he was sharing this story with me. I hadn't figured that much out yet, but I knew there was a reason I was with him here.

"He felt bad about it, I went home after another month in the hospital, I had a little boy who barely knew me, and a wife who was hurting just as much as me. I was pretty messed up. Frank just chose the wrong day to come and try to be my friend again."

"What happened?"

"I was dosed up on morphine, completely out of it, and I saw him, my anger gave way and I hit him, right in front of Charlie."

"Morphine?"

"Sarah was great about it," Jack said smiling weakly, "she spent several weeks helping me through the addiction."

"She's a good woman Jack," I replied watching him. Jack nodded.

"I know, that's why I married her. We were twenty and just getting out of college, I was heading into my final days in the Air Force and she was studying to be a teacher. We spent the first eight years just getting used to being with one another when Charlie came along," he said grinning.

"Did you ever talk to Frank about it?"

"He wanted me to forgive him, I never really got to say it, I hope he knows I forgave him for it. I never really hated him, or was angry at him, I was angry at myself for letting it happen."

"Anyone can see the way you acted was out of fear, there's nothing wrong with that Jack."

"I know…I didn't then but I do now," he looked up at me and smiled, he touched the grave stone gently for a moment then stood up.

He grew quiet again as he led me to another grave stone, I knew this one, I had visited it once myself, I smiled as I saw the small teddy bear sitting by the grave. Jack picked it up and smiled softly.

"He was a great kid," Jack said kindly.

"He was your son, I don't expect otherwise," I replied smiling. I looked down at his name and felt a little sadness in my heart. I would have loved to meet him, get to know him, perhaps even be a big brother figure to him.

"You remind me of him," Jack whispered. I was shocked, there was no denying I saw Jack as a big brother in my life, he was the best friend a person could ask for, "he would have liked you, Daniel, I've done some pretty dumb things and said some pretty crappy things lately…I'd like to apologize for that."

"Jack, there's…"

"Yes Daniel, there is. I've watched you die far too many times and yet every time I have you I hurt you again and again. Well, I'm not going to leave this world one more time without tell you that I appreciate everything you do for me and this team. I also appreciate you keeping me alive, not just the first time we met."

"I'm not exactly easy to get alone with Jack," I replied, knowing it was the truth. He shrugged and placed the teddy bear back down on the grave and looked at me, his eyes were sincere.

"Maybe not, neither of us are, but you're a good man, and I'm proud of you as a commander, and I'm proud to call you friend."

"Thanks Jack, me too," He smiled and gently put a hand on my shoulder, like he had the first time they thought I had died.

"Space monkey," he said grinning and pulling me close.

I was the only person he ever took to that cemetery with him, the only one he ever shared this with, and today, as I hugged him right back, I realized I was more than honored, I was touched. He thought of me as a friend as much as I thought of him as one. He was the best friend I had, and I couldn't help but be thankful.

"Beer Daniel?" Jack asked looking at me.

"Yeah, sounds good," I smiled grinning. His arm still on my shoulders, we made our way back to the truck, both filled with sad and happy memories.


End file.
